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New Zealand agritech companies are creating world-first technology to help feed the world and lead the way in their industry, AgritechNZ chief executive Peter Wren-Hilton says.

Technology is making life easier, from eco-friendly cars to faster software and tech improvements are benefitting Kiwis in everyday life, he says.

“The same goes for agritech innovation such as crop protection and plant biotechnology which is improving the lives of farmers and consumers around New Zealand.

“Robotics Plus is one New Zealand agricultural robotics and automation company which has been largely responsible for seeing revolutionary robotic apple packers going global.

“They are initially targeting the US, Australian and New Zealand markets which is fuelling a period of accelerated growth.”

Apple packhouses already use automation extensively for sorting and grading, but the process of arranging apples in trays for export is still highly labour intensive.

Robotics Plus and their packing technology is a game-changer for the industry. The Robotics Plus apple packer identifies and places apples in their trays and can safely handle up to 120 fruit per minute which is the equivalent of two people, Wren-Hilton says.

“Another Kiwi company, Autogrow, works with growers to create automated hardware, software and data solutions to help new growers set up their grow sites and existing growers to modernise theirs.

“They are leveraging the power of technology, data science and plant biology to provide growers affordable, accessible and easy-to-use innovation – 24/7, anywhere in the world.

“Autogrow supports growers and resellers in over 40 countries producing over 100 different crop types in a variety of environments.

“Their technology feeds the world and its technology is found in greenhouses, hoophouses, tunnels, indoor grow rooms, nurseries and vertical farms running and optimising 2556 individual grow rooms across 637.34 hectares which is enough growing power to produce 372,844 tonnes of tomatoes a year.

“A third NZ company, BioLumic, has produced UV technology which delivers ultraviolet light to seeds and seedlings to trigger biological mechanisms that increase plant growth, vigour and yields. Their world-first technology is clean, green and GM free.

“BioLumic has created a seedling treatment using UV light that it says boosts the yield of specialty crops by up to 22 percent while also making plants heartier and more pest resistant.

“Globally, pesticide applications rates are down 95 percent since 1960 as today’s products are 10 times more effective and have an improved safety profile.

“In 2015 high yield biotech crops around the world used 19.425 million fewer hectares of land to produce the same amount of feed, fuel and fibre crops. With less land available for agriculture that efficiency is necessary to keep up with growing populations.

“New Zealand invests nearly $750 million in research and development for food and agriculture but is only just starting to see innovation startups commercialise the tech resource coming from public and private investment.

“Our country is a big primary producer and tech will very soon make a big difference to agriculture. Digitisation of the farm is impacting agriculture globally,” he says.

For further information contact Make Lemonade editor-in-chief Kip Brook on 0275 030188

Farm2050 sign first ‘Country Partner’ agreement with Agritech New Zealand to address the need for increased sustainable food production worldwide  

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (3 September 2018) – New Zealand has signed a new strategic partnership with global initiative, Farm2050, to accelerate the development of sustainable agricultural technologies to support the need to feed 10 billion people by 2050.

“The world’s population is growing at an exponential rate,” said Peter Wren-Hilton, Agritech New Zealand Executive Director. “This requires increasing current global food production levels by 70%. Against a background of more extreme weather events, changing land use and environmental stress, innovation and technology are going to play a central role in addressing this need. Given its deep agricultural domain knowledge and developed agritech sector, New Zealand is well placed to support the world’s primary sector meet this target.”

The Agreement establishes a business relationship focused on providing New Zealand agritech companies with improved access to connected capital, the ability to conduct offshore farm trials to validate their technology and the opportunity to collaborate with other partners in the Farm2050 collective. It is designed to rapidly scale the impact of New Zealand’s agritech sector in the global market.

“Through Farm2050, we have helped evaluate and assist hundreds of AgTech startups around the world gain access to capital, talent, customers, and industry partners”, said Arama Kukutai, Managing Director of Finistere Ventures & Farm2050 Partner. “As we continue forging ahead, we have put together a world-class list of industry partners to help us to identify and to solve the key challenges facing agriculture. Being a partner offers: access to early stage and promising technologies, the opportunity to help define the standard of the future connected farm, new M&A and business development pipelines, PR and marketing opportunities, farm trials, capital/deal syndication and raising for startups, talent access/secondments, and the opportunity to collaborate with other partners in the collective.”

The Farm2050 ‘Country Partner’ Agreement was signed in San Jose, California during the 2018 Silicon Valley AgTech Immersion Program and Conference. The Agreement was signed by Arama Kukutai of Finistere Ventures and Dror Berman, Founding Partner of Innovation Endeavors, on behalf of Farm2050. Peter Wren-Hilton, Executive Director of Agritech New Zealand signed the Agreement on behalf of New Zealand in the presence of The Honorable Tim Groser, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the United States.

About Farm2050:

Farm2050 was founded to solve the global food challenge.  By the year 2050, the global population will reach 10 billion people, requiring a 70% increase in food production. Doing so will require global partnership. Led by Innovation Endeavors and Finistere Ventures, Farm2050 brings together researchers, farmers, manufacturers, distributors, policy makers and investors to support startups leveraging cutting-edge technology to generate abundant, affordable, nutritious food. For more information, visit www.farm2050.com.

About Agritech New Zealand:

Launched in 2018, Agritech New Zealand is a purpose driven, membership funded organization whose members share a passion for the opportunities that agritech can generate. Agritech New Zealand connects innovators, investors, regulators, researchers and interested public.  It promotes opportunities and challenges raised by agritech.  Agritech New Zealand advances the ecosystem through advocacy, collaboration, innovation, talent and economic growth through international connections and missions.   For more information, visit www.agritechnz.org.nz.